Claire Scott’s most recent poem to appear here was “Little Red Riding Hood’s Mother” (March 2020).

Prepared for Anything
                  after Susan Browne
By Claire Scott

Gallons of hand sanitizer, antibacterial Handi Wipes, N95 respirator mask, back up N95 respirator mask, rolls of paper towels, boxes of Kleenex, four bottles of Clorox disinfectant. Booked an entire row of seats to be sure no passenger with a contagious cough that could be fatal (to me) will sit close by. Scrub the seats, the tray tables, the Jet Blue magazines, the seat backs and seat belts, the ghastly green carpet on the floor. It is starting to stink. People annoyed I am blocking the aisle, the flight attendant summoned, the plane off schedule and still I scrub. Wads of paper towels and empty plastic containers pile in the aisle. We take off five hours late. People glower at me. I glance out the window and see duct tape wrapped around the propeller.